What is Local SEO and How Can It Help Your Business?

A local business can easily grow their business and attract more customers by employing Local SEO strategies. This article will explain what Local SEO is and why the use of local search engine optimization can help your business with online visibility.

Local SEO is a tool you can use to market on the internet. Local SEO will help a business by promoting the product and service they are offering to the customer at the exact time they are online looking for a product or a service. Local SEO consists of the use of a number of strategies. These include improving the rankings on the search engines like Google, business directories like Yelp, Foursquare, Superpages, Google My Business listing, Yellowbook, Bing Places for Business page, online reviews, localized content on your page, among other strategies.

Millions of people go online and use local search every day to look for businesses in their respective areas. SEO services can increase the chances of your business getting found by these potential customers.

Search Engine Optimization is a targeted method of marketing. You will be marketing yourself to people who need the products and services you are offering, unlike traditional forms of marketing where business marketed to people who were not even interested in what was being offered. This means your prospective customers will be seeing your business on their own terms.

10 Ways Local SEO Can Help to Attract New Customers:

1. The number of people going online to look for local business is increasing

The number of people turning to the internet to find business has continued to rise. These statistics paint the picture;
96% of people with PC conduct local searches
46% of searches on Google are local
64% of local customers turn to their internet (search engine and directories) to find local businesses
Half of ALL mobile searchers are looking for information like phone number and address of businesses
78% of all local mobile searches will end in offline purchase
(Sources: Business2community.com and searchengineland.com)

2. Local SEO is targeted and timely

The main reason behind local search is finding a specific business. the second being to find a product or service. People searching are trying to find a specific business they can go to, but many of them don’t know any specific one in mind when they start the process of searching. By using local search tactics, an SEO company can position your business and promote the products or services you are offering when they are looking for your type of business. Connecting with your customer when they need you is the perfect chance. Not sure about how good or bad your website’s SEO is? Get a FREE SEO REPORT here to get an idea!

3. High Conversion Levels

Online directories such as Yelp, Foursquare, Citysearch, etc. will show the name of the business, phone number, address, and in some instances additional information like business description and menu. It is common to find local directories dominating the first page of the results. Local directory marketing will provide a higher conversion rate when compared to traditional forms of advertising. There are some directories that can provide up to 50%. What this means is that you will have one actual customer out of two leads by listing your business in as many directories as possible.

4. Mobile Internet is Growing

The number of smartphone users is on a rise, meaning people can easily search for local business while they are on the go. In Australia, the number of people using their phones to access the internet is higher than desktop, with smartphones at 51% and desktop 42%. Local SEO works on both mobile internet and PC. This means you cannot miss out on any potential customer.

5. Great Return on Investment

One great thing about SEO is the fact that there is very little wasted exposure, unlike traditional forms of advertising like leaflets, newspaper, and direct mail where you could reach out to people not interested in what you are offering. You will be reaching them when they need you. This is why working with an SEO consultant can be very cost-effective and efficient.

6. Only 44% of Business have claimed My Business listing by Google

Google My Business is a FREE listing that Google gives to a business that claims it. Getting listed will increase the chance of showing at the top of the search engine result page. The results you see at the top of the page in a “3-pack”, also known as the “map pack” are Google My Business listings:

Many businesses out there have not been able to realize the power of marketing online. This provides you with the perfect opportunity to get a head start over your competition before they find out and do the same. By the time they will be getting on board, you would have already moved higher in the search engines. And this is just one tool that you have at your disposal. There are several more that can give you important information that you can use to improve your position in the search engines. Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Essential SEO Tools.

7. It is Still free so far (most of it)

You don’t have to pay for anything to claim you Google My Business, Bing Places for Business and many other business directories. This is free promotion for your business. Another free source of traffic that many business owners ignore, is Apple Maps, which enables Siri and Voice Search on iOs devices (iPhones) to find your business!

8. Only 20% of adults get their news from print newspapers

Advertising on traditional forms is not a good investment because it is on the decline. The number of people reading newspapers has continued to fall, with some figures showing that there has been an 80% decrease in readers in the past 20 years. Why is this happening? Because people have turned to the online world for their news and local business information.
(Source: Poynter.org)

9. 88% of Local Consumers tend to trust online business reviews

Many businesses know the power of mouth, and how it can make or break a reputation. Work on your business’s online reputation by asking your customers to leave a positive review about your business, and this will, in turn, attract many customers.
(Source: Local Consumer Review Survey)

10. People Rely on the Internet to find your business

Many people rely on the internet to find more information about products and services. You will miss out on these prospective customers if you don’t make an effort of appearing at the search engine result page. Putting in place Local search engine optimization strategies for the business to show up whenever a person searches for a product or service you are offering.

Grow your business using Local SEO

Search engines have been trying the best to provide their users with accurate local search engine results, and this is your chance to get free advertising. You need to take full advantage of local SEO to boost your business before your competition joins in too. All types of business ranging from cafes, plumbers, florist, accountant, etc can get the benefits of Local SEO. With that said, there are some industries and professions which get a higher ROI from an SEO marketing strategy and these are businesses which typically have a high dollar value per sale, such as lawyers and plastic surgeons.

Search Engine Optimization can be greatly beneficial for businesses that want to increase their bottom line and are willing to invest in their future. It does take more time than some other online marketing strategies, but it pays the dividends long-term.